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“This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.” — Steven Pressfield
It was an honor and lots of fun being part of Sprout Labs (@SproutLabsAU) virtual Learning While Working conference this week. With 12 straight hours of talks happening in two Zoom rooms simultaneously, there was a lot of great things happening. I’m already looking forward to diving into some of the recordings after they are posted. (They should be here sometime next week.) Did you catch any of them? What did you think?
Administrative note: I’m experimenting with a new title for this weekly recap. I think this a better description of what it is? Do you have any better suggestions? (BTW Heads up if you subscribe via email and apply any filters, etc. to it.)
Your Organization Is a Network of Conversations
This article by Steve Zaffron (@stevezaffron) and Gregory Unruh (@GregoryUnruh) really resonates with me. They talk about how conversation is the primary organizing principle of organizational management and that a company is the sum of all corporate dialogues or what they call a “network of conversations.”
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/your-organization-is-a-network-of-conversations/
How to leverage prior knowledge to enhance learning
This npj Science of Learning article looks behind a paper by Marlieke Tina Renee van Kesteren – Integrating educational knowledge: reactivation of prior knowledge during educational learning enhances memory integration. You can access the full paper here.
…it actually makes sense to retrieve previously learned information often (a process known as retrieval practice). We have also shown that retrieval aids knowledge building when linking old to new information.
These 20 Pictures Will Teach You More Than Reading 100 Books
Check out Benjamin Hardy’s (@BenjaminPHardy) “Cultural Wall” – twenty transformational triggers he uses to “..create a shared vision, set of beliefs, expectations, and direction for desired behavior.” https://medium.com/thrive-global/these-17-pictures-will-teach-you-more-than-reading-100-books-3914c4855ebe
Hand-drawn Graphics Starter Kit
Clint Clarkson (@ClintClarkson) has shared these great looking sets of graphics you can use to give a cool hand-drawn look to sketch notes, PowerPoint slides or anything else you want to use them for.
- Part 1: 40 Banners and Containers
- Part 2: 45 Dividers and Separators
- Part 3: 21 Bullet Sets
- Part 4: 121 Simple Arrows
- Part 5: 25 Sketchnote Fonts
- Part 6: 199 Fancy Arrows
- Part 7 – Faces
- Part 8 – Houses
Still looking for more? The Doodle Library is a nice complement to Clint’s collection.
How Would You Build a Modern Workplace Learning Professional?
What do you think are the most important skills for a modern workplace professional to have? Add your thoughts to this crowd-sourced list.
https://mike-taylor.org/2018/07/18/how-would-you-build-a-modern-workplace-learning-professional/
Learning, Design & Technology Miscellany
A few other things just because I can.
Conference News
- The Corporate Learning Analytics conference is going down in Nashville next week.
- Looking for your next conference? Check my global collection of L&D events.
Design Resources
- Essential Design Resources Everyone Should Know
- Random Material Palette Generator – Create three color palettes with a single click
- The Doodle Library – a growing collection of reusable simple drawings and doodles in a vector (SVG) format. Free to share and adapt – mix and match as you wish.
Apps & Tools
- PhotoScissors Online – Remove backgrounds from your photos with this smart interactive app.
- Microsoft Whiteboard – a free collaborative whiteboard app for PC and mobile devices.
Books/Courses/Podcasts
- If you like podcasts, check out The Ultimate L&D Podcast Guide (2018) assembled by Sam Rogers (@snapsynapse)
What I’m listening too
- Spotify was kind enough to mix this playlist just for me. It is the perfect empty office, quiet morning newsletter publishing music.
Thanks for reading! If you found anything good, forward it to a friend or spread the word with a tweet.
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I enjoy sharing my ideas and experience with corporate professionals via workshops, keynote presentations, podcasts, and webinars. Learn more in my Speaking and Workshop Information Sheet.
Mike Taylor 